Start selling schools plan now

By The Des Moines Register

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Iowans value education. We know it is important to individual families and this state's economic future. So it's troubling when our schools slip in national education rankings. There is widespread agreement that change is needed. But there is much disagreement about what exactly it should look like.

Recently, the Branstad administration unveiled its framework for statewide education reform. The preliminary plan includes more charter schools, changing how teachers are paid and implementing high school exit exams.

There are few specifics right now, however. The administration does not plan to release a comprehensive plan with details, including costs, for about a month. That makes it difficult for Iowans to fully evaluate and debate what is being proposed.

But it isn't going to stop people from discussing the broad proposals and forming opinions.

Officials should release a written version of the plan sooner than Oct. 3 and focus immediately on building public support for it. To do that, they must convince Iowans that these proposals, rather than others, are the right ones for this state. And they must provide evidence these proposals work.

Charter schools

Linda Fandel, the governor's education aide, said the goal in expanding charter schools is encouraging innovation. Yet these schools have a mixed record of success around the country. Branstad must assure the public that charter schools can improve student achievement without negatively affecting other schools. Where exactly have these schools been effective and what would those schools look like in Iowa?

Teacher pay

It must be clear how a proposal to replace the current teacher pay system directly results in providing better education to students. Rather than basing salaries on experience and college credit earned, Branstad would adopt a four-tiered system that includes apprentice, career, mentor and master teacher categories. Examples of where this has worked to improve student achievement will be needed.

More testing

The administration must also explain the benefits of additional testing when teachers already complain about spending too much time “teaching to tests.” The governor's plan would add a high school exit exam. How would yet another test be different than the tests that already exist? Why is it needed and what are schools obligated to do if students fail it?

A few months ago, Branstad talked about education that is “evidence based.” This phrase, most commonly used in medicine, refers to making decisions in health care based on what has been proven to work. If you get sick, doctors shouldn't recommend a drug or surgery that sounds like a good idea. The treatment should have been successful with other patients.

Iowa needs evidence-based educational reform. This state doesn't have to create new solutions if there are changes that could be adopted that increase student achievement and graduation rates. Iowa shouldn't do what is popular or what a certain group wants. It should do what works to improve the education our children receive.

Now the Branstad administration must convince Iowans his proposals will do that.